Manhattan, NY More than 130 men and women from the design, construction, and real estate industry attended the official launch event for the New York Building Congress Young Professionals committee on July 24th at the Center for Architecture.  The newly-formed committee expands on the organization’s efforts to attract, retain, mentor and engage the next generation of industry leaders.

The event offered the opportunity for young industry professionals to socialize with peers and learn about the goals and priorities of this new initiative.  Young Professionals Committee Co-Chairs Andrew Werner, AIA, Kohn Pedersen Fox, and Marilisa Stigliano, ACEOM, provided the audience with an overview and explained the Committee’s focus on networking, community engagement, professional development, and advocacy.

Building Congress president and CEO Carlo Scissura moderated the event’s panel discussion, which included Brookfield Property Partners executive vice president of design & construction Sabrina Kanner; Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates principal Jill Lerner; AECOM senior vice president and COO of design and consulting services for the New York Metro area Dan Sawh; and Thornton Tomasetti chairman & CEO Thomas Scarangello.

“At the New York Building Congress we are forward thinking, helping to create not only the projects of tomorrow, but the biggest projects of the future,” said Scissura.  “The men and women of this Committee will be the ones who conceive, design, and build these projects.”

The presenting sponsors for the event were AECOM and Thornton Tomasetti; the supporting sponsors were The Durst Organization, Infinite Consulting Corp., and KPF; and the sponsor was Stonebridge.